What makes me whole
by Keep It Quiet
Summary: Xemnas is known to be the cold leader of Organization XIII. Gina is just a woman separated from her home world of Twilight Town. When these two meet, what could be bound to happen? Please R&R! Rated M for later chapters and such.
1. Chapter 1: On Our Own

He stood silently, unmoving, even as the wind flung his hair in his eyes. The plan was in motion. Everything had happened accordingly, only a little slower due to that little Keyblade-wielding brat. Yet unknown to the boy, he was helping Organization XIII with each and every Heartless slain. The hearts released would make him whole again. The Superior would let the boy live, for now at least. It was far too early now to dispose of such a valuable piece. 

The cool breeze caressed his face, blew up the sleeves of his coat. Over his darkened flesh rose tiny goose bumps from both the chill and the knowledge that he would soon know what have power and leadership felt like. Sora and his little accomplices would soon release the hearts of so many, a thousand if the Superior recalled correctly; a huge gap would be filled!

'_Saix should have set up everything by now_," the Superior thought, '_Demyx is probably bothering him; otherwise it'd be finished! I'd best go find that childish little—_'

Rattling his thoughts was a blood-chilling scream of distress. Even a noise that sudden could spook the Superior of Organization XIII. Peering over the cliff's peak, he saw only Heartless. They climbed over one another, trampling the fallen, pushing towards some goal unseen to their observer. Mindless creatures, they were, completely unlike the grace, elegance, and intelligence of his Nobodies. The Superior watched intently, noticing how the creatures flocked towards a rock wall. He raised an eyebrow.

'_A rock wall? How stupid are these things?_'

The Superior leapt off his original perch to the rock just below, then to the ground. Beneath his boots the soft earth gave easily. He raced across the gorge, weaving and dodging countless Heartless, to the opposite cliffs, springing up to the next highest rock, just above Heartless reach. He grasped one rock for support and leaned over the edge.

So, the Heartless were after something!

Cowering against a boulder was a small human, a young brunette woman. Most of her clothing was torn; small cuts and scratches covered her arms and shoulders. She cried out again as the pack drew near, indicating that she carried no weapon. As an armored knight approached and prepared for attack, a feeling gripped and twisted the Superior's stomach. An emotion, perhaps? All he knew was he hadn't felt anything like it in years. He stood, confused, even as his subconscious began directing him—

--_Protect her_.

He had seen the Heartless and Nobodies destroy people in the past, but why now was this feeling upon him? Why had this woman, whom he had never even seen before, brought this feeling to him all so suddenly? She was nothing more than a human that could not even defend herself against a mere Heartless! He paused upon hearing yet another scream for help.

Taking one step forward, he set his stance for a pounce, every inch of corded muscle tensed for his attack. He prepared his two sabers and jumped to a lower rock—

--and the voices came.

"Hang on! We'll help ya!"

The Superior stopped in his tracks. That voice—it could only belong to one of the King's guardians, the bigger, dim-witted one.

Sure enough, the shield-wielder dove in front of the woman, destroying the knight in the process. Sora and the other one weren't far behind. The trio ripped through the Heartless horde, flipping and twisting around attacks, swinging wildly at anything that moved. Never once did they leave that girl unprotected.

The Superior turned his melancholy, burning gaze back to the young woman. Instantly, the stare was met. She observed him so fixedly, her eyes begging for his help. He couldn't pry his eyes away from her. She was beautiful, no doubt, a rival of any princess. Her eyes spoke even more than her beauty, radiating with innocence outlined in fear.

There was no way he could stay much longer. The Heartless were gone; the King was on his way through the gorge, just about at the trio watched by the Superior. Mickey followed the girl's stare. The instant that royal eyes fell upon him, Xemnas ripped his own away and turned, the breeze catching his coat. He leapt to the highest point to walk away from the scene. His mind raced despite the wind's gentle efforts to soothe him.

'_Why did I stay so long? I mean, nothing was accomplished, really. That girl, though…I couldn't leave! Something…held me there. Who is she?_' he thought, each line racing through his mind one after another, '_I have to know! Xigbar can handle things for now. I'm going to find her…tonight_'

* * *

"We should get back to town before more Heartless come through here," the King explained. 

"Yeah! You can come stay with us for the night," Sora said.

"I don't want to intrude, though," the woman murmured in response.

"No one's gonna mind! They're always welcomin' travelers," Goofy said.

"You're sure?"

"Of course! Merlin has an extra room. We're sure he'll let you use it," Donald replied.

"Well…I suppose if you're sure it's okay…"

"Hurry! Heartless don't usually take fallen comrades too lightly. They'll be back soon," the King said.

Donald took the woman's hand. Reluctantly, she followed the strange group.

"Oh, by the way," Sora began, "What's your name?"

The brunette looked over to him. "I'm Gina. I already know who you three are, Sora, Donald, Goofy."

"How do you know us?"

Gina smiled. "There aren't many people who don't know you. But, your Majesty, I was wondering if I might ask a question?"

"Of course," replied the King.

"Who was that man on the cliff? I noticed that you were looking at him too, almost like you knew him."

"Not offhand, I don't."

The rest of the group looked at each other. Maybe it was better that she didn't know. The poor girl was already shaken up; the last thing she needed was to learn about the Organization.

"I see…" she murmured, "How far away is this place?"

"Just around the bend, actually," Goofy responded.

Gina nodded and fell silent. This world was so weird, completely unlike her home of Twilight Town. She tried to forget about the man, about the horde that attacked her. Instead, she focused on the small house before her.


	2. Chapter 2: Interrogation

"So, Gina, how did you manage to get from Twilight Town to here?" asked the old wizard, Merlin, as he set a plate before her. It held only celery, bread, and butter, but she was very grateful. Down the hallway, she could hear Sora trying to talk and eat his Sea Salt ice cream at the same time. 

"I'm not really sure, honestly. The last thing I remember is sitting on my porch swing trying to take a nap. Everything after that is just a blur," she replied. She picked up a piece of celery and bit into it.

"Well, my dear, you are more than welcome to stay the night. It's not exactly safe to be running around unarmed these days. There is a room down that hall when you get tired," Merlin said.

"Thank you…so much; I really appreciate all of this," Gina replied, smiling brightly.

Everyone else in the house was already asleep. Merlin seemed intrigued by her, though. He had stayed awake just to question her alone. Before he decided to turn in for the night, he murmured, "Be careful, missy."

* * *

After she had finished everything on the plate, Gina wandered down the hallway to the room Merlin had assigned her to. Again, the man's face came to mind. She had never been so stuck on a man, but never had she seen one so handsome. Running one hand through her dark hair, she pushed the door of her room open. Laying folded on the bed was the nightgown Aerith had loaned her. Gina quickly change out of her ragged clothes, savoring the feel of the silk against her skin. She turned the light off and crawled beneath the thick blankets. 

Gina lay for what seemed like forever. How had she gotten to this world? Maybe everything was only some weird dream that she would wake up from the next morning. She pinched her arm, leaving a nice, big red mark.

'_Well, that's one question answered_,' she thought miserably.

How was it that these specific people had been the ones to find her? Were they just coincidentally nice, or maybe some very important figures in her life? Lately, she had begun to wonder.

Now that she was in Hollow Bastion, what was her family doing? Maybe they were all at her niece's birthday party, or swimming in her aunt's pool, or maybe just watching TV together. Wherever they were, she hoped they were safe. Gina missed their company, their stupid jokes, the poker games, the annual "Throw the Loser in the Lake" basketball game that was to happen soon. She had only been in this new world for two days, but it felt like two years.

She looked out the window to the moon, the stars that shined so brightly. Even their encouraging light did nothing to improve her mood.

As if the distant orbs would help her, would care to help her, she closed her eyes and whispered to the cool night air, "I want to go home!"

"Of course you do," came a deep voice from the darkness. The seductive tone seemed so comforting, so soothing. The darkness…

Gina sat up quickly. "Who's there?"

She slid her feet to the floor to stand, but was suddenly, roughly, shoved back on the bed. With her arms pinned above her head, she felt weight, and lots of it, rest on her petite body.

"…And I want to know why you're here…"


	3. Chapter 3: Chance Meeting?

The sweet scent of leather reached her nose as a gloved hand covered her mouth. Gina thrashed around as best she could, screaming into the palm before her. As she looked towards the face of the attacker, only darkness was there beneath the hood he wore. She could feel him breathing, slow and steady, more like a heartbeat than breathing. 

"If you don't scream, I won't hurt you," the dark figure murmured. '_I have a headache as it is; please, no screaming!_'

The man released his grip on her arms and mouth, then stood up slowly. Gina, unsure of what else to do, climbed to her feet and made a break for the door.

'_It's only a few feet! Can't you run any faster?_'

Click.

As Gina reached the door and tugged at the knob, she realized it was locked. She fumbled with the latch, hurrying as much as possible. Behind her, the man chuckled.

"It's no use. That door won't open until I say it will," he said.

The gentle thud of his boots echoed in the small room as he sauntered towards her. Gina bit her lip, trying to keep her head high. She remembered one of her many counselors saying that confidence was more intimidating than anything.

'_How am I supposed to be intimidating to someone twice my size?_'

He paused a few feet before her, cocking his head slightly to one side, and asked quietly, "Where did you come from?"

"Why should I answer to a coward who won't even show his face?" She meant for it to sound challenging, but it came out weaker than an anemic kitten. Again, the man chuckled.

"You're absolutely right. How rude of me!" he teased. One gloved hand reached up and pushed the dark hood away from his face. As he looked up at her, her eyes widened.

Black coat, silver hair, dark flesh, and orange eyes—

"You!" she screamed. The man winced visibly and, before she knew it, covered her mouth again.

Gina shook her head. She drew back and punched the man in the jaw. Of course, it wasn't very powerful, but it made him let her go. He rubbed the area gingerly, and then he smiled at her.

"So, kitty's got claws," he taunted. He took another step towards her, backing her completely against the door.

"Leave me alone," she commanded timidly, biting back tears, "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" he echoed. He smirked and slammed his hands against the door on each side of her head, trapping her between him and the exit. "I want to know why your face will not stop tormenting my mind! Why does your voice crying out for help bother me so much? Why did I feel the need to protect you, when I haven't felt in years?"

Gina stared into that melancholy orange gaze as what he said sank in. Did he just say he wanted to protect her? She saw him walk away from her back in the gorge, though!

She suddenly heard a click behind her. The door—it was unlocked! It had to be! The man before her suddenly turned away again. She was already getting used to seeing the back of his head. Boots thudded softly on the wood floor. She had her chance to escape now—

--So why wouldn't she take it?

Across the room, a black and purple portal appeared, and the man wandered in the direction of it. She couldn't help but admire the grace and elegance in his step.

"Gina! Are you all right?"

Leon!

Even the man was caught off-guard by the sudden voice. She walked a few paces away from the door, closer to the mysterious stranger, who was now bound-and-determined to make a break for it.

"Wait!" she called. He paused again and turned to face her. "Who are you?"

Before he could answer, the door flew open. Leon, Sora, Merlin, Donald, and King Mickey stood ready to face the intruder, surrounding and protecting Gina as they had against the Heartless.

The man smirked. "You'll know in time, little one."

With that, he and the portal vanished, leaving the six of them alone in the shadowy room. The King turned to Donald.

"I think this could grow into a bit of a problem," he said. Donald nodded in agreement.

"Your Majesty," Gina said, glancing down at him, "Who was that?"

Yuffie and Aerith appeared in the hall, soon followed by Cid and Goofy. All eyes fell upon the King.

"Let's go into the kitchen," Merlin stated, "We'll explain everything in detail there" The group filed out of the room towards the kitchen. Now that there were strange men in black and creepy portals appearing, Gina was more than happy to get out of that particular room!

Gina ended up being the last one in. She sat at the table beside Yuffie and looked toward the King, who had taken a seat not far from hers. He smiled at her, more like a smile of 'I'm trying to make you feel better' than on of 'This is amusing'.

"So," he began, "Where should we begin..?"

* * *

Back at the castle, Xemnas sat silently upon his throne. Before him stood Number Two, Xigbar. He was busy rattling off some of the going-ons with the Organization. Naturally, Xemnas wasn't completely listening.

That woman—she wouldn't leave him be! When he slept, he saw her face, heard her voice, so gentle and soothing. The night before, he had even had a dream of them together, tangled in the sheets of his bed, her beneath him murmuring his name…

"Superior? Are you all right?" Xigbar asked, shaking Xemnas from his thoughts.

"I…Yes…Yes, I'm fine."

"For some reason, I don't believe that," Xigbar commented, "It's that chick, isn't it?"

Xemnas felt his stomach jump. "How did you know about that?"

"Saix. He saw you back in Hollow Bastion ogling her, if it's not too bold to say."

"Damn him!" Xemnas slammed his fist on the arm of his chair.

"Superior, what exactly intrigued you about her?"

Xemnas raised an eyebrow. "Was that a serious question?"

"Yeah. Well, unless you're going to say anything along the lines of 'she has a great rack' or something odd like that," Xigbar said. The Superior smirked.

"Besides all that…I'm not entirely sure. There was just…something about her, something that made me even want to protect her! I've never even seen her before! It's hard to explain. But, right now, we have more important matters at hand," Xemnas explained.

"Well, maybe I could offer a little advice before we change the subject?"

"Knock yourself out, but make it quick."

"Think of the Beast," Xigbar began. Xemnas eyed him.

"The Beast?"

"Yeah. In order for him to become human again, he needs to learn to love, and earn Belle's love in return. It could be worth a shot, ya know," Xigbar hinted.

"Wow…I never thought you would be so knowledgeable about this subject," Xemnas teased.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Do you honestly think it would work for me?" Xemnas muttered, "For…a Nobody?"

"If it could work for him, why wouldn't it? Besides, what's there to lose?"

Xigbar left a few moments later, leaving Xemnas to his thoughts. The Superior let his subordinate's works run through his head again and again.

He would give it a shot. It could bring him out of the hole he had dug and crawled into, if the theory was correct, anyway. If not, hey—he gave it a shot at least. After all—

--'_What have I got to lose?_'


	4. Chapter 4: Why Me?

"Who was he?" Gina questioned, "I know you didn't exactly tell the truth back with the Heartless, so I think that'd be a good place to start." 

The King sighed. "Yes, we know him. That was Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII. Put simply, the strongest Nobody you'll find."

"Nobody?"

"Basically, a Nobody is a creature without a heart. They exist as merely the body and soul of people who lost their hearts to darkness. As they lack hearts to possess light or darkness, they exist in between, in the twilight; they are nothing, and yet they still exist. The members of Organization XIII are the most powerful Nobodies because of their strong hearts They kept human form while weaker ones became deformed creatures that are able to alter their physical shapes," said Merlin, "They are very powerful, intelligent, and, as I said before, have no heart or conscience to speak of."

"But wait, if he supposedly has no conscience or heart, why did he say he wanted to protect me from those Heartless?" Gina asked.

"It could have been a trick. Organization XIII is know for its tricks, after all," Sora explained.

"That's definitely a possibility," said Leon, "What I don't understand is why he would say anything at all to her, though. If he was going to turn Gina into a Nobody, why didn't he just do it?"

Everyone looked to the King, who simply shrugged. "I don't have an answer for that yet"

"If he wanted to protect me, why are you so determined to kill him?" Gina murmured.

"Gina, remember what Merlin said: they have no hearts. All Nobodies come with the intent of doing harm. Don't let your guard down, no matter what they tell you," said Donald.

"That's all well and good, but why did he seek me out? Out of so many people in all the worlds, why was I the one?" Gina wondered aloud, "I didn't ask for this!"

"Maybe Xemnas sees you as being a powerful Nobody. Are there any bad experiences in your past? Not just bad, but absolutely horrifying, terrible, anything like that?" Leon asked. Gina bit her lip.

"Yeah…there are plenty of those."

"There's your answer! Organization XIII is probably looking to replace the members it has lost already," Merlin said, "They seem to target those who have had bad experiences and that were wounded emotionally by it!"

"That still doesn't explain why he said he wanted to protect her," Aerith said, "I don't know about all of this."

"He didn't protect her, though! Goofy, Donald, and I went in to help! Xemnas stayed up on the cliff!" Sora exclaimed.

"Umm…Sora, that's not completely true," Goofy began. All of them turned their gazes to him. "While we were running towards Gina, I saw two red lights that looked like blades. I figured it was from his weapon. He was jumpin' down from the cliff towards all them Heartless. I don't know if he was gonna hurt her, or protect her, though."

There was a mildly awkward pause. Everyone took a moment to ponder what Goofy had explained.

"You're sure he was on his way down?" King Mickey asked.

"Yeah! He was heading towards the spot that we were goin' to," Goofy said.

Gina looked up at the King. This whole thing was so messed up! Even His Majesty seemed to not like the situation one bit, but he also seemed to be hiding something from them, something big. He hid it well, but Gina had a keen sense for people holding back information.

"Well, it's late now," Merlin said to break the silence, "We probably should all get some rest. You especially! You've had quite a rough one."

"Yeah, I guess…" Gina replied sheepishly.

"Sora, Goofy, make sure Gina is protected tonight. We'll figure out everything in the morning," King Mickey said.

"Of course, your Majesty," the two replied in unison.

* * *

Everyone stood from wherever they sat and made their way down the hall to their rooms. Good nights were exchanged once more, and the house was quiet. 

In Gina's room, all three were nearly exhausted. Sora was already passed out in his sleeping back, as was Goofy. The two had graciously given Gina the bed. This time, she didn't lay awake. Her head hit the pillow, relishing the comforts of a nice, warm bed. Before she drifted off, the face of Xemnas flooded her mind, and the world went dark.


	5. Chapter 5: First?

_She could see herself, full view, but how? She walked blindly through the darkness. Around her, the shadows flickered and danced, taunting her, as if they knew she was lost. This place--it wasn't could or hot, not inviting or creepy. It was more like nothing..._

_Nothing._

_How could that be? Where was she, anyway? Was there any way out?_

_Gina began to run through the murky shadows, finding that the more she ran, the less progress she made. She spun around to look for any threats, but in the darkness, one cannot distinguish friend from foe._

_She sat down on what she thought to be the ground, pulling her knees to her chin. 'Nothing' sure was lonely. How did she get to this place? Now, she felt even farther from her family and--_

_--Movement!_

_Her head shot up. Something out there was alive? Something with bright yellow eyes, at least she thought they were eyes, watched her, creeped closer and closer. More eyes appeared all around her. They closed in, touched her, but she couldn't move! The creatures toyed with her hair, felt the silk of her gown--_

_--and then she heard a voice._

_"Gina," the familiar tone murmured. Above the blazing golden orbs, a hand clad in black appeared, offering to help her to her feet. Gradually, the eyes began to disappear. One by one, the lights faded away, and she took the hand of the stranger. He wore a long black cloak with a hood over his face, so familiar, and said gently, "See? Everything's all right."_

_

* * *

_

Gina awoke with a start and looked at the clock sitting on the nightstand. Both Sora and Goofy were still sleeping peacefully, and the moon still shined brightly.

'_Only 3:30_?' she thought. She sat up slowly.

The voice in it was all too familiar: the deep, seductive voice of the one known as Xemnas, no doubt. Now he was haunting her dreams, too?

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Sliding to the floor, slowly, quietly, she walked around the sleeping Goofy and out to the hallway. A drink sounded quite nice now! Gina tried to forget about the dream as she reached the kitchen, dismissing it as just a nightmare brought on by her experience from earlier.

Taking a glass from the cabinet, she filled it half-way with some nice, cold water. She drained it quickly and set the cup in the sink. As she turned around, a hand covered her mouth, another held the back of her head.

"Don't scream," the figured requested. A man--it had to be him! He held her for just a moment longer, then released and stepped away. He pushed his hood back.

"Xemnas," she whispered.

"You know my name?"

Gina nodded. "The King told me about you."

Xemnas smirked. "So, am I going to get punched this time?"

"That depends," Gina said, "Why are you here...again?"

The Superior took a small step closer. Even in the dark, she was beautiful; he couldn't help but love the way the silk of her gown clung to her body, the way her hair framed her delicate face. Xemnas raised a hand to touch her cheek but she flinched, squeezing her eyes closed tightly. He eyed her suspiciously, and then he remembered that he wasn't exactly gentle during their previous meeting. Up that close, he could see the small scar beneath her right eye. Gloved fingers carefully stroked her soft flesh. Xemnas could feel her trembling beneath his touch.

"It's all right," he murmured, "I'm not here to harm you."

"How do I know I can believe that?" She choked back the tears of fear.

"I would have done it by now," he replied. She seemed to have relaxed a bit as she nuzzled his palm. He traced his thumb over the tiny mark, the only blemish on her flawless skin. "What happened here?"

He felt her jump slightly. "I, um...Nothing, nothing. It's just a mark...Don't worry about it.."

Xemnas raised an eyebrow. Xigbar's idea wasn't going to work! She wouldn't even talk to him, really, wouldn't trust him. He might have to have a little chat with his subordinate after he left Hollow Bastion tonight, and probably Saix. That little bastard had been nothing but a pain in the last few weeks...

The brunette before him suddenly, slowly, reached up towards his face. Her fingers tenderly caressed his face, slipping from his cheek to his shoulder.

"You...you never told me why you came back." Her voice gradually trailed off to a whisper. The Superior sighed heavily.

"That's what I was hoping you could tell me," he said, receiving only a strange look, "Unfortunately, I don't know what's been going on lately, but, to be honest, the whole situation is just messed up. For whatever reason, I can only think of you. Remembering the way you were calling for help back in the Great Maw...it bothers me, and I don't know why!"

He abruptly diverted his gaze from her face to the floor. Gina bit her lip and looked away, towards the door. Here she was, thoughtlessly interacting with a Nobody, one of those beings Merlin said only wanted to cause harm. This particular one was the ring leader, to top it all off! He didn't seem cold at all; she couldn't quite explain it.

Down the hall, she heard the creak of the floorboards. Apparently, Xemnas heard it to, for his head shot up in alarm. He looked back at her helplessly.

"You should go. Someone will find you here," she whispered, "I don't want any trouble going on in here!"

"But wait, you never told me why--" She cut him off.

"There's no time! If Leon finds you here..I don't even want to think about what he'll do! Please, before someone gets hurt..."

"Meet me in the Borough tomorrow night?"

Gina nodded. "Everyone here is usually in bed by 10, at the latest. If I'm not there by then, come by the window of my room. I'll be in there by 10, no doubt."

Xemnas gave her one last brief nod. Using the hand he still had on the back of her head, he tugged her into a kiss. Gina made a noise that resembled a muffled yelp, but didn't fight back. To his surprise, she timidly began to kiss him back.

"Gina?" came Aerith's muted voice, "Are you out here?"

Xemnas suddenly broke the kiss. "Answer her."

Gina swallowed hard and whispered, "No, she'll come out here!"

"Let her," the Superior said, "What's she going to do anyway?"

"I really don't think you want to get smacked in the head with her Princess Gaurd, do you?"

"After that punch from you, I think that would be the least of my worries," he teased.

The unexpected scream from the hallway rattled the peaceful silence of Merlin's house, and the privacy of the two in the kitchen. Gina heard Leon's door fly open and slam against the wall.

Xemnas pulled away from Gina's arms. "Now, it's time for me to go. Remember: the Borough tomorrow night at 10."

"Right..."

A dark portal appeared behind him, and as suddenly as he appeared, he was gone. Aerith ran over to Gina.

"Did he hurt you?" she asked frantically, checking over Gina's face and arms. The light clicked on.

"Did who hurt her?" Merlin asked. Leon marched past the wizard to the two women.

"Xemnas was here," Aerith explained, "I saw him touching her face."

"Did he say anything to you?" Leon asked. Gina nodded. "What?"

"He..he told me that not helping me in the Great Maw bothers him. For some reason, he can only think of me anymore..." Gina replied, "He wants me to meet him tomorrow night...in the Borough."

"No," Leon said shortly, "We can't allow it."

"Hang on," came Sora's voice from behind Merlin, "This could be our chance to finish him off!"

Leon raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"All right: those two meet. We let them talk for a while or whatever's going on. He's bound to be off-gaurd, so that'll leave us the perfect opportunity to attack him!" Sora said.

"He's got a point, Leon."

"When are you meeting him?" Merlin asked Gina.

"10."

"All right. We'll figure it all out tomorrow morning. For now, go back to bed. Everything's safe now," Merlin said.

Gina nodded as she and the others turned back towards their rooms. '_That's right_,' she thought, _'Everything's...all right_.'


	6. Chapter 6: Everything In Motion

The next time Gina opened her eyes, the sun blazed through the curtains of her room. She rubbed her eyes and stretched. The last thing she remembered from the night before was Aerith ranting on and on about how she should be careful nowadays, especially around the Organization members. The King had said the Nobodies only intended to cause harm, but what about Xemnas? He hadn't yet, had he? 

Tonight she would meet him, be the bait in this group's little trap. She barely knew the man, so why did she feel so bad about hurting him? Besides, he was a Nobody, only a shell of a man. Exactly what he wanted was still unknown to her. The King probably knew. He had hidden so much from her already, most of it information she could have used earlier! The Organization wasn't exactly something to be taken lightly, after all, so why hide it? Maybe he knew something about why Xemnas kept pestering her...

She rolled over to look at the nightstand clock. The night before she hadn't gotten much sleep, obviously, and it was probably late by now.

'_2:00!_' she thought, '_Only eight hours left…_'

As much as she wanted to meet him, she didn't want to have to worry about his safety. She shook her head as she stood. Why was she worrying about his safety? He had tried to hurt her during their first encounter!

Gina made her way to the door of her room and exited to the hallway. In the living room, she could hear a few of the others discussing the night's plans: how they were going to approach him, attack strategies, how to keep Gina safe, etc. She groaned inwardly. She didn't do this to people! She had to warn Xemnas, but she couldn't turn her back on this group, not after what they did for her. Plus, she didn't even know how to contact him. For all she knew, they knew something she didn't, and Xemnas was as bad as they said he was.

She turned the corner and entered the room where everyone sat. Instantly, they all fell silent.

"Good morning," Gina said. Leon stood and approached her.

"I see he didn't leave any marks on you," he commented. Gina rolled her eyes.

"I already told you he didn't," she replied. She noticed Aerith observing her closely. "What?"

"Your scar," Aerith noted, "It's…"

Gina's heart leapt, but not in a good way. She hated that damned thing! "It's what?"

"It's gone," Yuffie answered.

Gina turned to the window, her reflection frowning back at her. Sure enough, that age-old "battle scar" was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

"Saix, why weren't you at your post, or at least here?" Xemnas growled, seated atop his throne. His Number Seven had been doing nothing but getting on his nerves as of late. The Superior, as much as he hated to admit it, would rather hang around with Demyx or Xigbar for a week than deal with Saix.

"Superior, please, calm down," Xigbar requested, then muttered under his breath, "You'll give yourself an ulcer."

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Xigbar said swiftly, diverting his gaze from his Superior's. '_Damn, if he's not scary when he's angry_.'

"I made it unmistakable that everyone was to remain here for the evening," Xemnas continued, "It's not THAT difficult to comprehend!"

"Superior, forgive me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it you who left as well?" Saix prodded, "If we were all to remain here, wouldn't that include--"

"Enough!" Xemnas barked, "You have your orders for tonight. Now, if you fail to accomplish them, I can't be held accountable for my actions. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes. Crystal," Xigbar cut in before Saix could respond.

"Good. Now get out of here."

Numbers Two and Seven made sure they ran out of there so not to provoke any more pent-up irritation from their leader. Xemnas slid a hand to his forehead.

'_We still have a goal to meet, and, seeing as Xigbar's idea isn't exactly going to work out, we have to stick with the original plan. Kingdom Hearts is so close now! I can feel it!_' he thought, pausing suddenly, shocked, '_I…feel it? Not just how close we are, but…How is that possible?_'

"Superior?"

"Out, Xigbar," Xemnas growled. Perhaps the earlier thought had come a bit too soon. He wasn't in any sort of mood to deal with him.

"Please…Just a moment of your time?"

Xemnas growled. 'Not right now, not right now!' "Make it quick"

"Of course. Superior, do you honestly think that Saix is trustworthy enough for the assignment you gave him?" Xigbar asked, "I don't mean to question your orders, but…I was hoping maybe I could take over for him."

Xemnas eyed him. "And, why's that?"

"With me, at least you can be sure it would get done. Saix will probably go off to harass Sora and the others."

The Superior rubbed his weary eyes. Xigbar had a point: Saix was known for running off and doing other things he wasn't supposed to be doing, like bothering the Keyblade-wielder.

"All right, you've got it. Just…be careful. If I find out anything happened because of you I'll--"

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say I'll probably cut my life short a few years, huh?" Xigbar jeered, "Don't worry about it. Everything's under control."

As Xigbar turned to leave, Xemnas nodded. He chuckled and called before his subsidiary could exit, "And if I was going to get an ulcer, I would have had one by now."

Xigbar cringed and departed without any extra delays.


	7. Chapter 7: Welcome Home

The day had passed by slowly, but as 10:00 rolled around, Gina wished it had gone slower. She didn't want to do this anymore! Leon had it in his mind to kill, and she didn't want to be responsible for any help, no matter how large or small. Now, there wasn't much of a choice, though; she had to go through with it one way or another. 

She trudged slowly into the Borough. All was peaceful, silent. The full moon hung observantly overhead. The team, consisting of Leon, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and the King, ran up the stairs and overlooked the meeting place near the Bailey. They readier their weapons.

'_Just forget they're there_,' Gina told herself, _'You've got a job to do_.'

She walked over to the nearest building, leaning gently against the wall, and waited. If he wasn't there in twenty minutes, she was leaving, simple as that. It was cold outside anyway. Gina turned her attention to the blazing stars, closing her eyes as a chilled breeze blew through her dark hair. From the ledge, the King gave her a thumbs up, signalling they were ready for the Superior's arrival.

Sure enough, not five minutes later, a swirling, dark portal appeared a few feet from Gina's position. This time, though, it didn't scare her. A hooded figure strode from the black, but the portal ceased to fade. She moved cautiously closer to it, making sure to keep an arm's length away. The figure pushed back its hood, but the face beneath was not that of Xemnas. Instead, this man wore a small black eye patch and had two long scars running down each cheek.

"Who the hell are you?" Gina demanded, "Where's Xemnas?"

"Well, hello to you, too," he replied, "Don't worry, lady. Xemnas sent me in his place."

"Why?"

"Let's just say he wasn't exactly in the mood to deal with minor annoyances," he said, gesturing up towards the Bailey, "He was going to send another, but I guess he decided I'd treat you better."

He reached out to take her arm, but she jerked away. "Leave me alone!"

"Relax! We're on the same team now, love," he murmured, then grasped her arm, a bit more than gently, "Now, if you'd just follow me, I'll take you straight to the Superior. I think he'll be _very _glad to see you."

Gina heard the deep thud of boots on concrete as Leon jumped down to help her. He ran as quickly as he could, followed by the King, but to no avail. The man at her arm tugged her with him through the portal, and the group she had grown to love and trust slowly faded behind them.

* * *

Xemnas paced before his throne. '_Where is he? What could be taking so long?_' 

It had been nearly an hour since he sent Xigbar to get the girl. Naturally, Saix wasn't all to happy about the change of plans, but he went along with it so not to aggrivate the Superior. Xemnas was grateful for that. The last thing he needed right now was Saix to give him yet another headache. In a way, he wished Demyx was still around. At least the boy would go off and do what he was told instead of harassing people.

"Be careful with this one." Xigbar's voice suddenly rang through the room. "She's fiesty for such a tiny little thing."

"So I've noticed," Xemnas replied, "Leave us."

Xigbar smirked and released the girl as he turned away. Gina shivered in the icy air of the room. Just a little in front of her stood Xemnas, holding on wrist in the opposite hand. She couldn't help but warm up to him; he looked almost--innocent.

"How nice to see you again," he commented matter-of-factly.

"Why did you send someone else?" Gina inquired rather forcefully, "I trusted you."

"That you did, that you did," he began, striding elegantly towards her, "But, you see, I had a few other things I had to attend to. I apologize, but I--"

"Don't bother apologizing. You're a Nobody! You don't feel sorry for anything!"

Xemnas chuckled. "Very good, little one. Once again, I thought I had you figured out. You said you trusted me.."

He was only a few inches from her, gazing down adoringly at her. He reached up to stroke her silky chocolate hair, the other hand slipping to her waist. She could feel his fingers tighten on her hip.

"You're trembling," he observed, "Come with me. This room isn't exactly the best for small talk, so to speak."

Xemnas turned and guided her by lightly tugging at her waist. As they exited the spacious room, a few Dusks that littered the hall stepped aside to allow their commander passage. He thought nothing of them--until Gina screamed. Xemnas recoiled and the poor undisruptive Nobodies looked about nervously.

"No screaming!" Xemnas muttered, "They're not going to hurt you."

Gina pressed tighter against the Nobody's side. She closed her eyes, hoping and praying that he wasn't lying to keep her quiet. She trusted him not to lead her into a wall or door as well. Hopefully, that trust wasn't misplaced. Even Nobodies had to find something to keep themselves entertained, right?

The next thing she knew, he tugged her to a hault. She heard a soft click and again they walked, slower this time. Xemnas released her waist.

"See? It's a bit warmer in here," he said, "Make yourself at home."

Gina opened her eyes. Once more, she was standing in quite an immense room with the same gray and white walls of the hallway. In the left back corner was a huge bed beside a writing desk. The desk housed enormous mounds of paper, broken pencils, folders, and books, among other things she couldn't quite see well enough to identify. Other than that, it was a simple room, shockingly. She actually liked it.

"It's safer for you to stay here than with them," Xemnas said shortly, "The Heartless target them constantly. Here, you'll be under constant supervision. If not mine, then Xigbar's."

"Xigbar?"

"The one who brought you here?"

"Oh, him.." she murmured quietly. "So, wait...I'm stuck here now?"

"For the time being, yes. Once everything goes through, I'll make sure you're home safely," he said, smirking as she moved to examine the room, running her hands over the sheets of the bed. He followed closely, silently. He grasped her hip again, feather light. Gina whipped around to confront him, but he pushed her back on the bed, pinning her arms above her head.

"To pass the time," he hissed in her ear, "What do you say we have a little fun?"


	8. Chapter 8: HouseWarming Gift?

_**I'll warn you all now: SEX! If you don't want to read this, wait for the next chapter. lol Everything will still make sense...I think o.o lol Anyway, enjoy! **_

* * *

Gina couldn't take this anymore! Hadn't she been through enough with this man already? His hot breath, his soft lips, each assaulted her throat and jaw in its own way, but both drove her equally insane! Every so often, his tongue would find that little sweet spot beneath the hinge of her jaw. There was no way he could have known about that one!

Propping himself on one elbow, he paused to gaze at her. Xemnas couldn't help but chuckle at the glare he received. He took a chance and pressed his lips to hers, gently parting them with his tongue. The Superior waited, expecting her to bite him or thrash around, but instead, she grabbed a handful of his long silver hair and roughly dragged him deeper into the kiss.

Xemnas smirked against her lips. He had her! She wouldn't fight him, but let him take her willingly!

'_Quite a change from earlier_,' he thought. As the kiss broke, he let a smug grin slip.

"No screaming this time?" Xemnas joked.

"To who? Everyone in this world is under your command," Gina replied, "What would be the point?"

"You never fail to impress me," Xemnas murmured, "So…you'll do this willingly?"

"Do I have a choice?" she snapped, "Just…just do it and get it over with."

Xemnas felt his breath catch in his throat. Just get it over with? So she was just going along with all of this, and he misunderstood: he didn't have her quite yet. He groaned softly and rolled to his back beside her. Gina turned over on her side to watch him.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing…"

"Don't pull that crap. You wouldn't have had the sudden change in plans if it was 'nothing'; so tell me…"

"What's it to you, or anyone else, for that matter?"

"Well, 'bah, humbug; to you too, buddy."

Xemnas raised an eyebrow. "'Bah, humbug?'"

"Never mind," she replied, shaking her head in amusement, "So, what's wrong?"

He sighed. "I don't know. The past few times I've seen you, weird things happened to me, and tonight, something made me…'care', if you will, about you not wanting--"

"Wait," she cut in, "'Care'? You were worried about me?"

"Yes," he muttered, "For a moment there, I…I didn't want to hurt you…"

Butterflies rose in Gina's stomach. He had to be lying, though! He was a Nobody! No heart meant no feelings, right? Saying something like that was a good way to get in someone's pants, no doubt, but Gina wasn't falling for it--

--Until she saw the expression in those deep, amber eyes.

'_I can't tell if he's being honest..._' she thought desperately, '_I guess…I really don't have much to lose now…Cyri took that away so lo..…but still.._'

Gina suddenly knelt beside Xemnas. She waited for him to look at her, and then she hooked her fingers under the shirt she wore, tugging it slowly over her head.

She noticed his eyes widen slightly, so she made to cover herself. Again her wrists were grabbed, gently this time.

"Don't," he ordered quietly, barely above a whisper. Xemnas pushed lightly at her shoulders, laying her back against the pillows. He unsnapped her pants quickly and tugged them off her slender legs. Gina bit her lip anxiously as he climbed over her.

"Don't hurt me," she whispered. Xemnas flicked his tongue over her ear.

"I won't."

Gina arched her back to allow him access to her bra clasp. She could feel him fumbling with the hooks, all while biting the inside of his mouth in frustration. She giggled.

"Child proof," she taunted, and then reached beneath her body to assist him, easily separating the material ends from one another. She found his fingers, still covered by the cool leather of his gloves, and grasped them delicately. "I don't think this is very fair, Xemnas."

He smirked. "I suppose not…"

The Superior slid off the edge of the bed with ease and stood. He turned his back to her and dropped his coat to the floor. The rest of his clothing came off just as quickly, pooling around his feet. Xemnas glanced over his shoulder.

"Your turn," he said. Gina wasn't about to disobey now.

She pulled the bra from her body, thankful to be free of its confines. Sitting slowly, she seductively pulled her panties from her hips, past her knees, and finally off completely. Gina didn't need to look up at him to know he had enjoyed that last little bit. Before she knew it, he was above her, trapping her beneath his much larger frame, his desire pressed firmly against her inner thigh. Xemnas nipped at her shoulder as his hands ventured down the subtle curves of her sides, her hips.

He didn't even bother asking if she was ready. The heat he felt at her entrance was more than proof enough that she was. Instead, he simply positioned himself and pushed inside, slowly, inch by inch.

Gina began to worry as she felt him enter her. She had done this before, but only once, and with someone quite a bit smaller than the Superior, in all meanings of the phrase. Luckily, Xemnas moved slowly until his hips met hers, earning a low groan from deep in his throat. He withdrew a bit and thrust forward, hard. She hissed in both surprise and pain.

"Not so hard," she whimpered.

Xemnas mentally kicked his own ass. '_Nice going._'

She lifted her hips in a slow, gentle rhythm, hoping he'd pick up on exactly what she wanted. Gina still couldn't believe she was doing this! She hadn't even known him a month, yet there she was, on a world she'd never heard of in the bed of a man she just recently met. None of that mattered, though. All she could focus on were the gentle thrusts of her new lover. Gina couldn't help but love the soft moans he made, the way his striking face contorted in ecstasy. She slipped her legs around his waist, feeling him tremble slightly.

Xemnas balled his hand into a fist. Never could he remember feeling so good! She was so tight around him; he had to fight to keep his control! Beneath him she worked her hips against his, pressed her breasts against his smooth chest. Gina groaned his name softly, tunneling her hands through his hair.

Both were so preoccupied that neither noticed the knock or the opening of the door.

"Superior," Xigbar began as he entered the room, eyes glued on the papers he held. Xemnas froze at the sound of his subordinate's voice. "I apologize for intruding' without much notice, but we ha---AH!"

Xemnas laid his head on Gina's shoulder and whispered, "Oh, my God…"

Xigbar quickly closed his eyes and made his way back out to the hall. "All right, we'll talk later."

"Wait! We need to talk to him!" Luxord's voice rang over the click of the door closing.

"NO! No, we don't. Let's just, um…go. We'll find him later."

After the last word left Xigbar's lips, the room fell silent, save for the young couple panting. Gina suddenly giggled.

"What?" Xemnas murmured. She kissed his cheek.

"Nothing…shall we continue?"

The devilish smirk she received in return was all the answer she needed.

* * *

Later that evening, Gina slept quietly in the protection of Xemnas's arms, her head pillowed on his chest. As much as he tried, he couldn't sleep. Too much had happened lately, too many weird things, and it had a habit of keeping him awake, so he had taken the time to watch her. 

He couldn't get over her. He could be doing anything to her right now, but she trusted him enough to sleep; either that, or he had worn her out. Both sounded pretty decent to him.

Xemnas pulled the blanket over them a little more and stared towards the ceiling, not remembering much after that.


	9. Chapter 9: A Friend, Perhaps?

The next morning, Gina awoke to find that no one lie beside her. His spot on the bed was still warm, so he must have left only recently. She sat up slowly, holding the blankets over her to ward off the chill. 

"Well, good morning," a low male voice mused. She jumped. The man seated across the room was far from Xemnas! He had short, blonde hair, blue eyes, one earring--

"Who are you?" she asked. He had to be in the Organization; he wore the same coat as Xemnas.

"Your guard for today," he replied, "Call me Luxord."

"The Gambler of Fate..."

"What? How did you.."

"Xigbar was rambling on about you when he was bringing me here," she replied, "So, tell me, why exactly are you my guard?"

"Xemnas told me I had to be. He had some business to deal with and said he'd be back by afternoon. He said he would have take you with, but he didn't want to wake you."

She smirked. "I see..."

"Well, if you want, we can move somewhere a bit warmer. For some odd reason, Xemnas keeps his room just a few degrees above freezing."

"Yeah, I noticed that," she giggled, "All right. Umm...I think I should probably uhh..get some clothes on, huh?"

"You don't have to, but it might be a good idea. Your buddy Xigbar might become a bit of an annoyance, if you know what I mean."

He stood from his chair, locking his fingers and stretching his arms. The man--Luxord--didn't look at her, but he didn't turn away either.

"Umm.." she began, but he cut in.

"Oh, right! My apologies," he said, turning for the door. "I'll wait in the hallway. Xemnas left you clothes on the chair over there."

"All right."

As Luxord exited, Gina spun around to find the clothes he had spoke about. She couldn't help but like this new guy! He seemed so much friendlier than both Xigbar and Xemnas. Besides that, he hadn't made any unwanted advances or odd gestures at her. So, now she would be able to meet some of her newest lover's friends, and hopefully get an insight as to what he was really like. Not only that but it gave her a little extra company, as well.

She realized what he had left her was a black coat similar to the ones his Organization wore, as well as the black pants, and a pair of boots that were more suitable for women. The garments made her a bit curious: How in the world did he have clothes that would fit a girl? Was there another in the Organization maybe? Gina didn't know exactly, but everything fit her just right, save for the coat. Comparing the way it fit to the way both Xemnas's and Luxord's did, it was a few inches too long, but she wasn't complaining. She was quite a bit warmer now.

As Gina made her way to the door, she could hear Luxord's accent behind it, along with another deep voice. From what she gathered the two were arguing about something. Tugging on the handle, she opened the door, and instantly both of them quieted. Right in Luxord's face was a young man with long, flowing blue hair and an X scarred between his hazel eyes. He didn't seem like he was in a very cheery mood, although Gina got the feeling that he wasn't exactly a happy-go-lucky person--

--well, Nobody.

"Find me later," the new man growled, then whipped around and stalked away from Luxord, who turned to face her. She looked from the blue-haired man back to the blonde before her.

"Everything OK?"

"For now, yes. Oh, and for further reference, keep your distance from Saix. He's not exactly, umm...how should I put this...happy, that you're here. He claims that we won't reach our goal if you're here, but I told him that I honestly think he's just jealous that you have the Superior's attention. I..don't think he appreciated that."

Gina giggled. "I'll bet."

"So anyway, come with me. There's a warmer spot just up those stairs. Besides, we'll find something to...to do until Xemnas comes back."

"Sounds like a plan," she replied.

Luxord trudged in the opposite direction that the other--Saix--had gone. Now she had a bigger problem than Leon and them find out she had slept with Xemnas! If she was ever caught alone with Saix--she didn't even want to think about what he might do. Luxord seemed like a trustworthy one, though. She didn't want to let her guard down, just in case, but she figured for now she could trust him. Besides, Xemnas himself had made Luxord her guard, so why wouldn't he be all right? Speaking of Xemnas...

"Luxord, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"What's...what's Xemnas like? I just get the feeling he puts on an act for other people..."

"He has to. He's got an image to keep up, after all. But...as far as what he's like, all I can really tell you is that he's a hell of a leader. He's got a goal in mind, and I don't think he's going to back down from it when we're so close. He's stubborn, too, and has a bit of a temper, so watch out for that."

"What does he want from me?"

"That, I don't know. You two should really sit and talk things out, ya know? It'd probably do you both a lot of good," Luxord stated matter-of-factly. He stopped and reached out to push a door open, gesturing for her to go in.

"Thanks," she said stepping into the new room, "Do you really think he'd be up for it?"

He followed, then turned to close the door. "Well, make him listen to you. You have a better chance of surviving than we do if you command him to do something, after all. For now, just relax..."

He dug in his pocket and chuckled quietly. "...and let's have a little...fun while we wait."

* * *

When Xemnas returned to his room, he found that Gina had disappeared. Luxord was no where to be found, either. 

'_If he did anything to her I swear I'll.._.' His thought paused as he saw Xigbar walking the hall.

"Have you seen Luxord?"

"Yeah, actually. He and Gina just went down that way. I'm not sure exactly which room, but they're down there."

"All right. Thanks..." Xemnas growled, then began walking away.

"No pro...what? Thanks?" Xigbar's voice suddenly went quiet as he watched the Superior make his way down the hall. '_Umm...Ookay._.'

Xigbar wasn't going to ask. Instead, he just continued on his way to his room. Things WERE getting a bit weird lately..

* * *

The Superior strode past numerous doors until he heard voices behind the one farthest from his meeting place with Xigbar. He was going to just walk right in but paused upon hearing more of their conversation. 

"No no no, hold on. I'll show you." Luxord's accent was unmistakable.

"I can't do that," the female voice said, "Oh, wow...that's not quite as hard as I thought it was."

"There's a trick to making it work, too. When you need to do it fast, just go...like this."

"Oh...I didn't know you could do that!"

"Hang on, let me see yours." A pause. "Yeah, your pair is probably the best right now."

A giggle. "You really think so?"

Xemnas raise an eyebrow. In the World That Never Was, rarely was a giggle ever heard, even from someone as cheerful and optimistic as Gina. At least Luxord had stayed with her, but--

'_What the hell are they doing?_'

The Superior thrust the door open quickly. As he marched inside, Luxord leapt to his feet. Xemnas looked from him to Gina to the cards spread around on the table.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Luxord taught me how to play Poker, Xemnas. Relax, already. You'll end up with an ulcer or something," Gina said.

"That's the second time I've heard that!"

"Well, take the advice then! Come play with us for a while," Gina invited. Xemnas eyed her.

"You...do know how to play Poker, right?" Luxord questioned, his mouth snapping shut as Xemnas's glare turned to him.

"Yes, I know how."

"Then here! Play a round with us?"

Xemnas shook his head. "I think not."

As he made to leave, Gina rose from her chair. She slipped behind him and grabbed a hold of his arm. Knowing he wouldn't hurt her, she pulled hard on it until he turned around.

"You want me to stay, come play a game with us."

"You're basing that off of a game?"

Behind her, Gina heard Luxord stifle a laugh. She couldn't help but giggle herself. "Yes, yes I am. It's quality time for us. Now, either get over here and play, or show me how to get home."

She turned away from Xemnas and headed back to her chair. Winking at Luxord, she sat back down, as did he. Luxord collected all the cards and began shuffling them again. Xemnas growled.

"Pain in my..."

"Oh, stop it. You'll live."

Luxord couldn't believe his eyes: the Superior of Organization XIII listening to a woman almost two times smaller than him. He smirked as Xemnas sat down beside him and mouthed 'Told ya' across to Gina, who just smiled as Luxord dealt out his cards.


	10. Chapter 10: Take Me Home

"Was that so horrible?" Gina asked Xemnas as they returned to his room. The Superior didn't answer, simply shook his head at her. He still didn't understand why she made him feel the way he did. They were so different; she was quite the social butterfly, taking to Luxord and himself almost immediately, whereas he was more standoffish, enjoying his time alone to improve the plans he had already formed. Xemnas figured it had something to do with their being so close to Kingdom Hearts. Besides that, now he had to worry about Sora and them interfering. After his revisit to Hollow Bastion... 

"What's on your mind?"

Xemnas sat in the same chair Luxord had. "You little friends are out looking for you."

"What? How do you know that?"

"I went back to Hollow Bastion this morning and just about had my head taken off by one of the King's pearls. They were planning a rescue, so to speak. Exactly what they are going to do, I don't know. As of right now there is no direct way to get to this world...Sora still has a few to go through. But..."

"You know, it'd make things a lot easier if you would just take me home," Gina replied, "Or at least bring me back to them. They'd leave you alone then, wouldn't they?"

"Not entirely..."

"What makes you say that?"

"For some reason, they feel that we Nobodies should never become whole again. Why, I don't know. We deserve it just as much as anyone, after all."

Gina sat facing him on the bed. "How did you...come to be?"

Xemnas chuckled. "Full of questions, aren't we? Why don't you answer a few of mine?"

"Not until I get the answer _I'm_ looking for." She paused briefly. "What exactly do you want? I mean, you didn't create this Organization for nothing, right?"

"What I want...All I want...is a heart. Once that comes to me, I can exist completely. Now, I am nothing more than a shell, if that, barely half of what I used to be. I need Kingdom Hearts to give me that gift..."

"Xemnas, hearts are not to be had as gifts," Gina cut in, "Hearts are to be earned. What have you done that would make Kingdom Hearts possibly give you a heart?"

"Well, you're here, aren't you? I have kept you safe during these hard times."

"You kidnapped me! Now, I can't even see my friends OR my family!"

"Did I ever say you couldn't?"

"You haven't let me, have you?"

"Look, right now it's not safe to go back, OK? The Heartless are everywhere, and I can't take the risk of losing anything when we're so close!"

"To what?"

Amber eyes glared into hers. Just his gaze was enough to send shivers down her spine. "Existence."

"Xemnas, look, I understand why you're doing all of this; the only thing I don't get is how I'm a part of all this!" Gina said. She fell back on the bed. "Why are you keeping me here?"

"We'll all see in time," he murmured.

"I don't think so!" she cried, shooting off the bed. "I'm leaving, Xemnas. There's no point in me being here!"

"Not a smart move, you know," he said, standing from his chair, "Do you know the way out?"

"I'll figure it out," she growled, stalking out of his room. As the door slammed shut behind her, Xemnas fell back into his seat, laying one hand on his forehead with a sigh.

* * *

Gina marched crossly down the hall, this time ignoring the Dusks that moved aside to let her pass. She couldn't believe she stayed that long! After everything that had happened, she didn't care how long it took; she just wanted to get home! 

'_So, all he wants me for is to be part of his little plan_,' she thought, '_After what happened last night, that's all I'm needed for! If I wanted to be used like that, I would have just stayed with Cyri! I wouldn't even thi_--'

Without even realizing it, she ran into something rather sturdy. Gina fell back a bit from the impact, but the thing she collided with didn't budge. She looked back towards it.

"You really should watch where you're going," it--he murmured.

Another cloaked guy, but who could it be? She knew he wasn't quite as big as Xemnas or Luxord, and the voice definitely didn't have the surfer accent that Xigbar did. The man pushed back his hood with one hand and turned to face her. She knew she recognized him, but from where? That 'X' on his forehead stood out---

--"Saix!"

"Very good. I'm flattered that you remembered me," he mused, glancing down the hall behind her, "So where is Xemnas?"

"H-he's in his room still," she stammered. '_So much for confidence_.'

"I see. Then where are you off to in such a hurry that you'd manage to run into me?"

"I-I..was trying to leave this place...I'm tired of being stuck here! I want to go home!" She looked to the ground and suddenly wondered why she had told him all of that.

"Do you now? Well, if you'd like, I might be able to help you with that. After all, I know this place pretty well. I can get you home in no time."

Gina's eyes shot back up to his. This _was _the man Luxord had warned her about, right? "You'd do that?"

Saix nodded. "Why wouldn't I? Just say the word, and I'll show you the way out."

She figured Xemnas would probably find her again, but all that didn't matter. She wanted nothing more than to see her family, at least once more should she be dragged back to this world. Although, there was something strange about Saix. Part of her was screaming for her to tell him forget it due to what Luxord had said, but how often did she listen to reason? He said he would help her, so the least she could do was give him a chance. After all, Sora and the others were looking for her. Should she get stranded on some new world, they'd find her in time, right? Luxord had seemed concerned for her, though. She didn't want to let him down, either. He had told her to be careful around Saix. And Xemnas, well, who knew about him? Gina wasn't sure if he really meant what he said about "new feelings when he was with her".

Gina met the eyes of the man before her. "Take me home...please.."


	11. Chapter 11: Deja Vu

**I just realized that I've been stupid and haven't put up a disclaimer. None of the characters or worlds belong to me! The only one that does is Gina. sigh I feel better now. Enjoy! **

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"So, where are we going?" 

Saix glanced out of the corner of his eye at his companion. What exactly did Xemnas see in the girl? She wasn't vital to the Organization, after all. From what Saix could tell, she wasn't much of a fighter; instead, she seemed to be relying on him for protection, keeping close to his side as they made their way through the halls. Even he had to admit, she was very attractive, although she was pretty much swimming in the coat she wore.. Saix balled his fingers into a tight fist. The girl was only a distraction for Xemnas and the others, leading them away from their Kingdom Hearts. Luxord and Xigbar seemed to enjoy her company, but how could they not see what she was doing? Sometimes, he guessed, one must take matters into his own hands.

"Well, you said you wanted to get out of here, correct?" Saix replied, eyeing her attire curiously, "By the way, why exactly are you wearing one of our coats, especially one big enough to fit Xaldin?"

"Xaldin? That's one I haven't met yet."

"You shouldn't have. He's out on assignment right now. Back to my other question, has Xemnas accepted you into the Organization, or..."

She shook her head. "This was all he left for me to wear. What choice did I really have? I mean, I can't exactly run around naked, ya know?"

Saix smirked. "I see. So how are you two doing?"

Gina raised an eyebrow. "Umm, that's not exactly something I want to talk about right now..."

"You do know you've done nothing for him, don't you? You're simply here until we finish what we've begun, and then I'm sure Xemnas will dispose of you properly." He stopped walking and turned to face her. As Gina looked up, she noticed something different about the man, a fire raging in his golden eyes that could probably stop even Xemnas in his tracks. It made her stomach crawl into her throat for protection. "However, I don't think he would be able to do it himself, but that's where he and I differ."

Saix took a quick step towards Gina, who backed herself against a wall. "W-What do you mean?"

He shot forward to clasp powerful fingers around her throat, choking her, and growled, "I mean I would have no problem destroying you, here and now. All you've done since you've been here is cloud Superior's mind, which is then, in turn, disrupting the plans Organization XIII has already started to carry out."

Saix released her throat and stepped back, nearly taking pleasure in hearing her painful coughs, seeing a tiny bruise on the side of her neck. He summoned his weapon, barely waiting a second later to swing it towards her head. Luckily, she saw it coming and rolled out of the way. Gina climbed to her feet and ran as fast as she could down the hall. Behind her, Saix was in hot pursuit. He must have known there weren't many places to go, only to the end of the hall. In other words, a dead end; the stairs were the other way. Gina ran hands-first into the wall, quickly turning to find Saix's whereabouts. She ended up doing just that as he swung again. Gina ducked and could feel the gentle breeze tugging at her hair, caressing her face as if to say 'I've got you now'. She hit her knees as he raised the weapon again, the usual scowl he wore on his face turning into a sadistic smile of triumph--

--and a few small, red objects suddenly lashed at him from both sides. Saix dropped his weapon to the ground, still holding it in one hand, and turned back to face the attacker.

A duo of Sorcerers hovered not too far away, the little red boxes surrounding them. Apparently, these two were feeling either particularly brave, or quite stupid to challenge Saix. He raised his weapon, preparing to attack, but neither backed down. Instead, one floated behind him while the other flipped its cubes around to distract Saix. It faked an attack, backed away, and then did it all over again. Saix waited for it to recoil its attacks, then swung with all his might at the troublesome Nobody. The second one must have been waiting for that; it surrounded him with its cubes and proceeded to whip him repeatedly. Saix jumped and smashed the Sorcerer in the side, nailing it into the wall just beside Gina. It fell to the ground and slowly disappeared. The other one seemed to give Saix more than a bit of trouble. It was agile and either evaded his attacks or simply blocked them. Saix waited for the Nobody's cubes to move, and then he chucked his weapon at it, slamming into the area that could possibly be called its head. The poor thing didn't even have a chance to move or make a comeback. It simply disappeared in the same fashion the other had. Saix retrieved his claymore and turned back to Gina, smirking viciously at her.

"Your turn," he snarled. Again he threw the odd weapon. To Gina, it seemed to move in slow motion, each flip and twist it made. She closed her eyes tightly, but didn't scream. There was no one to scream to in this world, not anymore. All she could picture in her mind was this man, this crazed Nobody standing over her mangled body, victory painted on his every feature.

Gina heard a soft whirring sound, followed by a loud crash that seemed to shake the floor. Had he missed? She could have sworn that strange weapon was heading right on target...

She opened her eyes. Saix was laying on the ground rubbing his forehead, weapon laying on his chest, while another figure stood before her, crouched in a fighting stance with two red blades in hand.

"Xemnas?" Saix panted, "I am...I didn't have con--"

"You know what, Saix? Lately, all you've seemed to accomplish has been pissing me off, and quite frankly, I'm tired of it. I know for a fact Luxord, Xigbar, and I have told you to leave her alone, have we not?"

Saix got to his feet slowly. He eyed his leader; the way he protected that woman was almost obscene, especially seeing as how he did not have feelings for her, being a Nobody and all. He sighed and remained silent.

"You and I will have a bit of a talk later tonight," Xemnas growled, "Now, get out of here."

Xemnas turned back to Gina, hearing Saix slowly trudge down the hall. The Superior crouched down to her and lay one hand on her cheek.

"He hurt you," he murmured softly, "What happened?"

"I...I don't know, exactly," she said. She felt a tear run down her cheek to his gloved hand. "He..was going to show me the way home, but...as we were on our way out, he just kinda...went crazy."

"That's Saix for you. I heard all the commotion from downstairs and sent a few Nobodies to come check it out, but...I figured it'd probably be him causing such a fuss. You're lucky to have made it alive, honestly. Once Saix gets like that, not many live to tell about it."

"You sent those things?"

Xemnas nodded. "Come back downstairs to my room. You've had...quite an experience today."

She met his gaze. He had just struck one of his own, and rather harshly at that, to protect her, and yet all she could think of was running away from him. He stood and offered her a hand, which she took rather reluctantly, almost before she realized she was moving to do it. As she was helped to her feet, Xemnas lifted her chin and inspected to small bruises Saix had left behind.

"Why didn't you call for help, or scream like you did with those Dusks? That would have gotten some attention."

"I guess I'm just used to it by now."

"What do you mean?"

"My ex...he used to just, go insane and usually ended up getting pretty violent. No where near that bad, but..."

"Is that where all those scars came from?"

Gina nodded slowly. He slipped his hand to her waist and guided her towards the stairs, the same way Saix had gone. Beneath his fingers he could feel her tremble, even though she tried to hide it. The next floor down, his floor, came quickly, but Xemnas barely acknowledged it. Saix had dared to go after her, even after he was instructed not to, by more than one of the others. Now the girl at his side was petrified, probably too scared to walk alone anymore. There was a plus side to that part, at least. She wouldn't try to run away again. Xemnas thought it over again and again. Sure, she wouldn't try to run, but only because she was afraid to. He, somehow, wanted her to stay with him because she wanted to, not because fear said she had to. As they reached his room and walked inside, Xemnas led her to the bed and lay her down softly. She tried to protest but he put one gloved finger to her lips.

"Just relax now," he whispered. Gina bit her lip carefully. At least she knew she could still trust him, or so she thought. She kicked off the boots she wore and crawled up to the pillows, flopping on her side. Xemnas slipped off his coat and shirt, creeping in beside her. Without much thought of it, Gina nuzzled her face against his bare chest. Even though she caught him a little off guard, he didn't mind much. Xemnas pulled her in tightly. "You see? Everything's all right."

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**Oh, just for the record, I have nothing against Saix. He's one of my favorites, so I kinda feel the need to pick on him :p Moving on, please R & R this! I always 3 reviews! Special thanks to everyone who has already! **


	12. Chapter 12: I Owe You

"What did you say?" 

He set his chin on her head. "I said everything's all right."

Gina softly kissed his collar bone. He might think so, but there was one small problem, one piece missing that _would _make everything OK. "Xemnas? What's it like, to not have a heart, I mean? How does it feel going day to day as a Nobody?"

Xemnas felt his breath catch in his throat. He knew a question like that would come up someday, almost as inevitable as the 'where did I come from' question children ask their parents. He closed his eyes, sorting through words to find the right description of it, even though he knew there couldn't be one. The girl beside him waited patiently.

"Nothing..." he murmured, "No words can properly describe it, really. It's almost like...a black hole where my heart should be. I've seen so many things, terrible things, that I know I should feel _something _for...but I can't, no matter if I want to or not. Just like tonight...I know I should be angry at Saix, but I can't be. Only in my mind am I..."

Gina pulled away from the security of his arms and propped herself on one elbow. "All right, then what about us? Am I wasting my time here with you?"

He seemed to think for a moment, then murmured, "No."

"You just said you can't feel anything at all! How is this any different?"

"Why do you think I was so persistent in going after you? There_ is_ something, I just don't know what. Who knows...maybe it's all fake, just something my mind has made up. I can't honestly say I feel anything. Although, there are some things I do still have: want, need. That's why I won't let you go...I want you here...with me."

"But if I were to go, you wouldn't feel anything over it."

"As of right now, that's correct. However, I really don't want to get my heart back and feel nothing but sorrow over losing the one good thing that might happen to me in this miserable life I have led. I want you to be there when I have my heart..."

Gina sighed heavily and stared into those burning, orange eyes. "How do you do that? Right about now would be the time I slap you and walk out pissed off..."

"But you can't?"

'_This isn't what he's really like! Maybe I should give him a chance. After his heart goes back to him, maybe things will be different_.' Gina shook her head and smirked at him. '_But do I want them to be?'_

"Look, I'll tell you what...Tomorrow, I'll take you back to Hollow Bastion. I can't say I know how much those people mean to you, but I can tell you miss their company. I'll be back in the evening to bring you back here."

"You...you mean it?"

"Yes. I told you that you would be safe here, and after what Saix did...I owe you one. Keep this place secret, though. Tell them nothing about it or any of us. The last thing I need is them getting in my way yet again..."

Gina suddenly lurched forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Xemnas."

For one of, if not the first time, she was the one who initiated a kiss, slipping her fingers into his silver locks to pull him closer. She knew she must have surprised him, but what else could she do to thank him? Gina pressed her body tightly against his as his arms surrounded her.

"Go to sleep. We'll leave in the morning." He softly kissed her forehead. Gina couldn't bring herself to disobey him now, not after what he said he'd do for her. If it actually went through this time, she might have to think of a way to thank him...properly, seeing as how a kiss wouldn't quite do it justice.

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Woot for short chapters! lol Anyway, I felt guilty not updating, so now I give you a little one. I promise the next one will be longer than this! **


	13. Chapter 13: You're All Insane

**Well, I finally got around to revising this, thankfully. The original had quite a few mistakes, so hopefully I took care of at least most of them. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think! (gives cookies)**

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He couldn't deal with this now, not this early. The last thing he needed was a headache before going to once again confront Sora and the others, though he hoped their encounter wouldn't last very long. Xemnas knew he was just wasting time here, arguing with his subordinate when there were more important things to worry about. He still had to get a hold of Xaldin somehow, too! Bringing Gina back to the castle tonight after being with them again would probably prove to be more than just a pain, and even the Organization's superior appreciated a little back-up from his two top guys.

"What makes you even think that you had a right to lay a hand on her?"

"Xemnas, Organization XIII doesn't need any useless distractions now! We're too close..."

"_Useless _distractions?" Xemnas stood. "What you call 'useless' could prove to be the one thing that may help you. What has she done to you?"

"What has she done _for _you?"

Xemnas glared at his subordinate. "Much more than you know. Now, back on topic, you were specifically told to leave her be, were you not?"

"...Yes."

Saix avoided Xemnas's gaze. He suddenly found the tiles on the floor to be surprisingly interesting. How could his leader not see it? The girl was clouding his mind, distracting him, and now she was getting to the others as well!

"This is the last time I'm going to say anything about it. If I hear anything else about it, there _will _be consequences. Leave her alone. I don't care if that means you'll be as rude as possible and ignore her; just leave her alone. Understood?"

Saix murmured something under his breath.

"What was that?"

The blue-haired Nobody looked up. "I said she's made you soft..."

Xemnas strode quickly towards him, noticing Saix tense visibly. Even the thud of the Superior's boots on the tile sounded enraged. Again Saix's eyes traveled to the floor, his breathing a bit ragged as Xemnas towered over him. "If she's supposedly made me soft, why do you tremble under my gaze?"

Saix regretted opening his mouth about the matter. He instantly knew that he had screwed up, badly. When someone knew how to push his buttons just right, Xemnas was quite frightening, even to the berserker. Normally, he wouldn't show it to his leader, or to anyone for that matter.

"You just focus on what you're supposed to be doing. Find Xaldin and tell him to come back here," Xemnas growled, "Now get out."

Saix backed away and turned to leave without another word. Of course, there was a few more things he would have liked to say, but he knew that he had already angered Xemnas. He'd already played with fire; no need to soak the matches in gasoline. He had to find some way to prove Xemnas wrong! Maybe, just maybe, Xaldin would be the one to help him to that...

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'_No wonder these guys seem so depressed_,' Gina thought as she looked out the window. In the sky were dark clouds, nothing else. No sun, not even a blue sky! 

She knew Xemnas would be back to the room soon, but after waiting for an hour, she started getting bored, and a bit doubtful. He said he'd take her back to see Sora and the others; then again, as she thought about it, he had said he was going to deal with the crazy one today.

'_What the hell got into him anyway? He was talking to me perfectly fine and._..' Her thoughts drifted off as she remembered the incident with Saix. '_Memo to self: if they don't look like the happy kind, stay away from them_.'

Gina turned around to head back down to Xemnas's room, only to be greeted by a purple spearhead in her face. She jumped back and pinned herself against the wall, glancing slowly towards the owner.

His long, black hair was pulled up in either dreadlocks or braids, she couldn't quite tell, but it was held away from his sharp blue eyes. He seemed to be a few inches taller than Xemnas with a bigger build. Along the side of his face were probably the most strokable sideburns she had ever seen, if he didn't wear that whole 'I'm going to stab you' scowl, similar to the one Saix had given her, except this guy didn't look clinically insane save for the spear pointed at her.

"Who are you, and how did you get here?"

"I, um...Xemnas! I'm with Xemnas," Gina replied. 'What is it with scary people around here?'

The man eyed her suspiciously. "You're the girl Saix was talking about?"

"Probably, if he was complaining. Umm...where exactly is Saix?"

He lowered the spear to his side. "Don't worry. Xigbar told me to make sure he stayed away from you."

"How did you not know it was me, then?"

"Well, very rarely do we get a _pretty _girl around here, y'know? I didn't think that Xemnas had a good taste in women."

She just smiled and shook her head. "I don't think he'd approve of that kind of talk."

"He has worse things to worry about than me," he retorted, "Come on, I'll take you to him."

Gina didn't follow right away as he began down the hall. He stopped suddenly and turned back to her, seeing her seeming to debate going with or not.

"Don't worry," he said, "I've still got what little sanity a Nobody _can _have. But, if it helps..."

He suddenly tossed his spear to her. Gina barely got her hands up in time to ensure that it didn't fall to the floor. "And...what am I supposed to do with this?"

"Now you know I won't hurt you. Let's go."

Even she couldn't help but chuckle at that one as she followed. After meeting this one, she came to the conclusion that everyone in the castle was completely and utterly insane, no questions asked, though some weren't as bad as the others. She trailed the man down a few flights of stairs and back through a few halls she hadn't seen yet. Before her, a huge door stood in their path, along with Xigbar.

"Hey, Xaldin! Where have.." He eyed the spear in Gina's hands curiously, as well as Xaldin walking in front of her. "Not gonna ask. C'mon, Xemnas is waiting. He says he wants all three of us to accompany you, Gina."

"Why?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Dunno. We're all coming to bring you back here, too. Who knows...Xemnas's mind works in mysterious ways, sometimes," Xigbar said, pushing the door open. She looked up to Xaldin, who simply shrugged and gestured for her to follow him and Xigbar.

'_Well, that proves my theory_,' Gina thought.


	14. Chapter 14: Making Amends

_**Yay for short chapters! I know I haven't updated in a while, but I've suffered from hardcore writer's block, so I'm very, very sorry if this chap isn't all that great. I promise I'll write a better one sometime soon! Why isn't the ruler button working! It's really, really irritating! Anyway, thanks for reading, and please review! I love reviews! XD**_

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Put simply, the room that the odd duo led her to was huge! Symbols lined the ashen walls, the same symbols she had seen on the Nobodies before, and a small balcony sat only a few feet from the ceiling. Gina stared straight up at designs and colors of it---and ended up bumping into a rather hard body.

"What are you doing?" Xaldin asked as he turned back with an eyebrow raised, thankful she had given his spear back a while before.

"Umm...Sorry, I was just...sorry," she stumbled, trying not to laugh. At least this one was a bit friendlier; as far as she knew, he wasn't going to go crazy on her, and if he did, there was another to hide behind. Xigbar smirked at her.

"This is the Hall of Empty Melodies. It's always been one of my favorites. Here no one bothers you, save for maybe Saix or Xemnas, but even they stay away from it," Xigbar said.

"Why?"

"Not sure. I just usually end up being the only one in here," came a reply, followed by a shrug.

"Aww...crap," she suddenly muttered, "I left my clothes back in Xemnas's room!"

"Your clothes?" Xaldin asked.

"Yeah." She noticed Xigbar suddenly turn a light shade of red. "I'll run back and get them. Make sure Xemnas doesn't freak out that I'm gone."

"Easier said than done," Xigbar murmured.

"Don't worry; I'll be back as soon as I can be!"

"One of us probably should go with you," Xigbar said.

"No," she replied shortly, "I'll be fine. I know where I'm going now. If I'm not back in ten minutes, send a search party?"

"And if we're not here when you get back, blame Xemnas," Xaldin mumbled.

"Don't worry, I'll save you guys." She made a face and spun in the direction of the door. As she exited, her mind began praying Xemnas wouldn't bother them too much. If anything, she hoped he'd yell at her instead.

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'_Straight down the hall, up those stairs, turn left...straight? Or is that where I make the right?_'

Gina began her way up the stairs. Why was she so nervous, though? Nothing in that world would dare harm her, not after seeing Xemnas at her side. Still, the thought was there. For all she knew, some rabid Dusk was waiting around the corner for her...

'_What am I thinking? Those creepy little things probably wouldn't have the guts to get within a foot of me, let alone attack me_!'

Barely had she made it to the top step when a soft groan echoed through the hall, sounding as though it was quite nearby. It seemed more frustrated than pained, nevertheless catching Gina's attention, as well as spiking her need to help.

"What the..." she muttered to herself. Slowly, cautiously, she approached the door closest to her on the left and turned the knob. _'Closet_...'

Next? Just a door. It wouldn't open; hell, the handle didn't even turn. '_Why in the worlds does he have that there?_'

On to the next. A small room with large, wooden table in the center, surrounded by a few chairs, couches, and bookshelves galore--

--As well as the source of the noise. She could see a black boot sticking out by one of the chairs.

Gina warily slipped inside, making her way to the person who, from what she could tell, was sitting on the floor. When she came a little closer, maybe three feet away, she heard the person take a ragged breath. She paused.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently. The reply was simply a brusque grunt. She narrowed her eyes and stepped around by the foot she could see. "Saix!"

The berserker glared quickly, then turned away, trying his best to obey Xemnas's orders and leave the girl be. How did she always manage to find him, anyway? He lifted himself off the ground, trying to get to his feet, though he failed miserably.

"What's wrong?" Summoning up all her courage, she knelt down before him, making sure she was at least his arm's length away.

"Leave me alone. I'll be fine," he replied tersely.

"Xemnas's hit, maybe?" Gina inquired, cocking her head slightly at him.

"What business is it of yours?" growled the blue-haired Nobody.

"Would you knock it off? Move your arm."

"Why?"

"Just do it," she ordered, playfully, yet still sternly. Though glaring daggers, Saix reluctantly moved his arm to rest on the seat of the chair behind him. "What are you doing on the floor, anyway?"

"Felt like i...What are you doing?"

"Making sure you're not seriously hurt!"

"I'm a Nobody! It'll heal, given enough time."

"Wonderful. Just let me see it. For all you know, I might be able to make it heal faster," she said, "Now, hold still.."

He already had his coat unzipped; he looked as though he was planning on relaxing for the rest of the night. Cautiously, she reached to him and lifted the dark undershirt he wore, occasionally glancing up towards his scarred face. Not once did he look at her, or show pain, even as she grazed her fingers over his lightly bruised flesh. He'd be fine, she knew, but she had to be sure...

"These should heal in no time. Feels like everything is okay," Gina observed, carefully laying his shirt back in place, "But you still haven't told me the real reason you're sitting on the floor."

"I didn't feel like sitting in the chair," he grumbled.

"I see. Well, is there any possibility that you might feel like laying on that couch over there?"

Gina climbed to her feet, extending a hand towards him. He ignored the hand as he slowly pushed himself to stand but kept his hazel eyes focus on hers. When he wasn't going crazy, he was quite a fine-looking young man--er, Nobody--even with that scar etched on the bridge of his nose. It added to the feral beauty he wore so proudly.

"Why are you staring at me?" he asked suddenly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." She turned her face away from him.

"Can I ask you something?" It didn't quite sound like a question, more like he was going to ask regardless of what she replied, so she simply nodded. "Why do you choose to stay here? Better yet, why exactly did you come here?"

"That's not some_thing_ now, is it?" she teased, "First of all, coming here was not my choice. I was dragged her by Xigbar. Second, I didn't choose to stay. I don't know how to get home on my own, and...something seems to be holding me here."

"What?"

Gina shrugged. "I don't know. I...don't have the answer to that yet."

Saix nodded in acknowledgement, but said nothing. He shuffled over to the nearest couch and sat a bit awkwardly, looking as though he might fall forward off the cushions. He leaned against the back as she came closer to him.

"And by the way..." she began sheepishly, "If I am in the way somehow, or I have been a distraction of any kind, I apologize. I don't want to get in the way of anything..."

Once again, he said nothing, simply stared at her, though something in his face looked as if it had softened considerably, even as she moved to sit beside him. He actually seemed almost friendly--

--Until the door flew open and slammed against the wall.

Gina didn't have to turn around to know who the stomping boots belonged to. She stood and ran to block his path.

"Xemnas, calm down, please!"

"I told you to stay away from her," he growled at the berserker. Saix said nothing, though, holding his ground with defiant stare.

"Xemnas, I went to him!"

"You...wait, what?"

"I...thought I head someone hurt, so I came to check it out. I ended up finding him, obviously. Please, don't punish him for something I did, Xemnas.." Gina pleaded in the scolded Nobody's defense.

Xemnas looked from one to the other, and then rubbed his temples. "We don't have time for this right now. Come on, we're leaving. Xaldin and Xigbar are waiting for us.

As the larger Nobody turned away, Gina followed slowly. Just before reaching the exit, she glanced over her shoulder, mouthing a 'You're welcome' with a slight smile. Once the pair had left, Saix delicately lay down, propping his feet on the arm of the couch.

'_Strange women.._.'


	15. Chapter 15: Jealousy

**_Warning: A more descriptive sex scene! lol It's just a quick one, but still, just a fair word of warning. I finally decided not to be lazy and write it. (And yes, I gave Xemnas boxers. Woot for boxers!) Enjoy!_**

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Gina trailed slowly behind the Nobody, the Superior, the shell of a man she had grown so fond of. Occasionally he would turn his head back as if he were checking to make sure she was still behind him. It was his unusual silence, though, that made her worry.

'_I never thought he could get so...upset, I guess, over something like that! Besides, this time wasn't Saix's fault! If anything, he should be made at...'_ She paused briefly, eyeing the back of Xemnas's head curiously. '_Could it be that he's...jealous? Is jealousy an emotion?_'

She quickened her pace until she strode at his side. His eyes flicked over to her briefly, but still his boots on the tile remained as the only sound to be heard. To Gina, he looked almost sad now..

'_Well, that's nothing new_...' she thought '_I guess that's a good sign._.'

Things around the castle had changed a bit for her. Hell, she hadn't seen Luxord in a while, Saix was actually acting like a civilized man, and some crazy guy with sideburns had almost speared her! That would probably be enough to unnerve some, but now, with Xemnas acting so strange, things were really beginning to make her wonder. Could it be that maybe he had taken the berserker's so-called "warning" and decided that she was indeed a distraction?

"Hey, Xemnas," she asked, trying to break the icy silence between them. "What's wrong now? Did it really bug you that much to see me helping Saix?"

"No," he muttered quickly, and a bit unconvincingly.

"Really? You're not...jealous, are you?"

"We've been through this before. I cannot feel anything, Gina, including jealousy."

"Yeah, I know, but jealousy isn't an emotion, if you really think about it. It's all in your head to make you think you want something so badly that--"

"Ok, that's enough! I am _not _jealous, so let's just drop it. Please?"

Gina sighed heavily, defeated. Even as a Nobody, he still held that male instinct of keeping his pride. For some reason, she had a feeling he didn't want to be mean about it; he just didn't want to risk the others finding out that their beloved Superior was jealous over a girl. Well, there was only one way for her to find out: soak the matches in gasoline.

"You know what? I think Saix and I finally got off on the right foot today. He let me talk to him, and even touch him! His ribs were pretty bruised up, though," she explained.

Down at his side, one gloved hand slowly balled into a tight fist.

"Is that so?" he growled.

"See! You are jealous! I knew it!"

"Would you stop that? I am not!"

He stopped walking, as if to emphasize his point, and turned to her. Gina raised an eyebrow at the fuming Nobody.

"All right, I guess I'll take your word for it. But, just so you know, all we did was clear things up between us. Oh, and move him to the couch. Okay?"

"He still bothered you..."

"Xemnas, I went to him! I told you that already, hun. Besides, crazy men aren't exactly my type."

The Superior smirked a little, even with the brunette closing the space between them to stand on her toes and kiss his cheek. She tugged on his hand suddenly.

"C'mon! Xigbar and Xaldin are waiting for us!"

Xemnas didn't even budge. "No. Actually, I told them to go back to their rooms. I should be the one to take you back. And also, you left clothes in my room, I believe."

"I know. I probably should go get those, huh?"

The Nobody gestured with his head towards the hall his room was in, following Gina quietly. Even he had to admit, she knew him far better than he thought she did. Still, he hadn't learned a thing about why she made him "feel" the way he did; what was their connection? For all he knew, it was some weird side effect from Kingdom Hearts, if that was even possible. He couldn't explain it. All he knew for sure was that he greatly enjoyed her company, as did Luxord and the others. There had to be some kind of connection, but what?

As he approached her, she had stopped in front of his door. For some reason, though, she wouldn't go in. Gina looked away sheepishly.

"The handles never work for me," she said.

Xemnas merely lay fingertips on the door, and it drifted open a crack. She pushed it the rest of the way, stepping inside as if it were her first time in his room.

How did she do that? Somehow, she always managed to capture his attention by doing just little things one normally wouldn't even notice! He didn't mind much, though. After all, she was with him now, was she not?

'_I'm surprised she held out this long for me. It must be a lot for her...so why would she stay?_' he wondered.

Xemnas watched her leaning over beside his bead, collecting her clothes from the floor. Even he, a master of self-control, couldn't help approaching her.

Apparently, she hadn't heard him walk across the room, for she jumped as his hands closed on her hips.

"Xemnas, wh--" He placed two fingers over her lips as she pulled to face him.

"Shh," he purred, moving his hand to caress her face. He leaned a bit, soft lips falling to the delicate flesh of her neck, leaving gentle kisses and tender nips in their wake. He lifted her chin, assaulting her throat in the same manner.

'_Where the hell did that come from?_' she thought. Suddenly, his lips left her neck, only to move higher and capture her lips. He pulled her tightly against him. A black clad hand took a hold of the zipper on her coat, dragging it leisurely, teasingly towards the floor. He pushed the garment from her shoulders, coaxing her to step away from it.

"Turn around," he ordered softly.

How could she disobey? She turned, as she was told to, and pressed her back against his hard torso. Even through the clothing between them, she could feel his muscles, his warm, moist breath on her ear. He nipped lightly, hooking his fingers on the bottom of her shirt. She grabbed his hands before he could pull.

"You first, big boy," she teased. Gina turned back around and tugged his coat zipper all the way down. He shrugged it off, sliding his hand to her back. Again, he grabbed her shirt, this time yanking carefully to bring it over her head. Xemnas threw the item aside and bent forward to kiss her collarbone, moving slowly to her chest. A soft bite was place above her right breast, leaving a small, pink mark.

He grasped the clip of her bra with one hand, glancing up at the brunette, who smiled almost mockingly at him. With a quick flick of his wrist, the material came free.

"Not bad," she whispered. He pulled it away, dropping it to the floor beside the coat and draped his lips around one nipple, sucking gently as his hands made quick work of her pants. Gina held his head to her, pulled his hair gently. Of course, he didn't mind, despite the fact that, after a while, it started to hurt a bit

She slipped off her boots, stepping out of the pants as they hit the floor. Gina figured now, it was only fair for him to be just the way she was.

As he switched his attention to her neglected breast, she tugged at his shirt, revealing his lean, muscular back. Still holding the fabric, she pushed at his shoulders until his mouth released her, leaving room for her to make his upper half bare. She had to admit, he was damn fine to look at, with the way his handsome face met her gaze shyly, his silver hair spilling over the tanned flesh of his broad shoulders. Gina brushed his bangs out of his eyes, then began working at his belt, until he took her hands in his.

"Not yet," he murmured, taking her hands away from his waist.

"Oh, I think so."

Jerking her hands away from his, she pushed him back a bit, making him fall onto his bed. Gina kissed him as she crawled over him, straddling his hips, trailing fingers down his flat belly. Beneath her, she could feel him pulsing, throbbing with a need for her, and her alone. She unbuckled his belt, moving to the snap of his pants next. Xemnas folding his hands beneath his head. She leaned over, kissing his collarbone before moving to take one nipple in her mouth, tracing the dark circle with her tongue. Xemnas let his head fall to the bed beneath him, instead tangling a hand in her hair. He tightened his hold a bit too much, and she instantly corrected it with a quick nip.

"Not so hard," she murmured against his skin.

Gina turned her focus to the other side, giving it the same treatment as she had given the first. He let out a shaky breath, still holding her head against him. One hand of his cupped her small breast, caressing and massaging it tenderly, earning soft moans from his partner. He effortlessly kicked off his boots, feeling her easing his pants and boxers down his legs. She left them carelessly in a pile as she relocated back up his body, laying butterfly kisses over his stomach and chest.

She barely had time to kiss him before he rolled her to her back, locking his lips with hers, positioning himself between her thighs, carefully resting his weight on her. Xemnas reached between their bodies, pressing his desire to her, watching her face closely as he pressed inside. Her muscles contracted around him, enticing him deeper inside her body. Beneath him, she groaned softly and placed her hands on his shoulders, squeezing as he forced his entire length into her.

He didn't wait, either. He knew they both wanted it, needed it, and he was not one to disappoint. Xemnas rocked his hips gently into hers, setting up a slow, steady rhythm, feeling her nails dig into his shoulders. She arched her back, clutching his head as he lay it on her chest.

'_What's gotten in to him? Even in the short time I've known him, I don't remember ever seeing him act like this_,' she thought.

Xemnas secured his lips over hers in an almost bruising kiss, firmly grasping one hip in his fingers. His pace increased, signaling his imminent release. Gina locked her legs around his waist, faintly moaning his name, pulling him deeper into her. She could only watch him as he pulled away from her lips. His moments before finishing were absolutely incredible to her, everything from his heavy breathing to the possessive way he had been kissing her to the way he thrust into her.

His hold on her hip tightened and he pressed his chin towards his chest, hips pressing forward hard and deep. At first, he made no noise as he came, only his mouth opening and closing in shock before a deep groan rose from his throat. He collapsed on top of her, careful not to crush her beneath him, supporting his head on her breast. Gina tenderly stroked his hair, laying soft kisses on the top of his head as both of them tried to catch their breath.

After a few moments, he rolled to the side, taking her into the protection of his arms. Gina nuzzled his bare chest, snuggling closer to his body. She giggled suddenly.

"What?" Xemnas mumbled softly, setting his chin on her head.

"Told ya you were jealous."

"Oh, don't even start..."


	16. Chapter 16: The End?

Hi again! Sorry I kind of fell off the face of the Earth...but now everything's back in order, so I can write some more. Thank you all soooo much for the wonderful reviews! I REALLY appreciate them!

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For once, Xemnas was true to his word. After the two of them were dressed again, he brought Gina home...though it took a few tries to find the right area. 

At the sight of her mother's house, Gina fought back a gleeful squeal. She looked up to Xemnas' hooded face.

"You have no idea how much this means to me," she said, throwing her arms around his waist. She buried her face in his chest with a muffled, "Thank you."

"You're right," Xemnas replied, "I don't know what it means to you. But, judging from fact that you're cutting off circulation to my legs, it must be important. So...you're quite welcome."

Gina released her hold and gazed back at the house. A small face peered out the window at the duo, suddenly vanishing with a delighted smile.

She chuckled lightly. "My niece."

"I see. Well, you probably should get inside. They'll be glad to know you're safe, I'm sure."

Reluctantly, she nodded, facing him. Behind her, she heard the front door creak open. Gina reached to push back the dark hood, placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

Gina didn't want to say it. It was right at the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't say it, even though she knew she had to. Yes, she was beginning to fall for him, but she still couldn't shake the thought that he _couldn't_ feel the same way about her. That alone gave her the strength to choke out, "Goodbye..."

Slowly, she turned and began walking towards the house she had left behind. Her mother was there, waiting with tearful eyes. Behind her was Gina's brother with his daughter, both equally excited to see her. Gina was just about to run to them, to let them know everything was all right...

"Wait!"

Gina stopped in her tracks--_Xemnas?_--and turned. Xemnas approached her, one hand balled in a fist.

"Take this," he said, "If you...ever want to come back, use it. It will bring you straight to me."

He held the hand towards her, keeping whatever it was hidden in his palm. With the other, he took hers to him and placed the object in it. Xemnas stepped away and murmured a hesitant, "Farewell" before darkness enveloped his body.

Gina opened her hand to examine the artifact he gave her.

'_It's...a rock..._' she thought, confused, '_I'll mess with it later._'

She slipped it into the coat pocket, suddenly realizing she still wore the uniform. As she went back to her family, thoughts raced through her head. They hugged her tightly, kissing her cheeks, muttering things about being so happy to see her again. She was waiting for someone to question her new garments; what would she say?

'_Well, I had sex with the guy you just saw, and he gave me this to wear so I wouldn't be cold? Yeah, right, that'd go over REALLY well..._'

Thankfully, everyone avoided that topic. Sort of...

"So," her mother began. The four of them had made their way out of the doorway to the foyer. "Who was that man?"

"Who? Xemnas?" '_My lover for the week, Superior of Organization XIII, master of all Nobodies, manipulator of the darkness..._' "Just a friend. He took care of me while I was away."

"That so? Where exactly did you go? What happened?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Mom. Trust me."

"Gina, you kind of disappeared without a trace, and then showed up with some strange guy in black without any warning whatsoever," her brother said, "Nothing you could say will be completely unbelievable, I don't think."

Gina sighed. "All right. I hope you've got a lot of time to hear this..."


End file.
